YORK COUNTY, Pa. — A scholarship that has helped dozens of people continues to carry on the legacy of a local racing hero.
Over the past 24 years, the Kevin Gobrecht Memorial Scholarship has distributed over a quarter million dollars that has helped support more than 50 people in their education.
Kevin Gobrecht, who tragically died in a sprint car crash in 1999, believed in the importance of education. 25 years later, his name continues to impact the racing community and beyond.
"Anybody who knew Kevin knew the smile [on his] face and the sincerity he had for driving, but also the importance of his education," said Donna Gobrecht, Kevin's mother. "He didn't put that aside with racing, he knew that both were important."
Sprint car driver Brandon Rahmer was one of the scholarship recipients in 2014. He says the impact it had on him was tremendous.
"Every little thing helped and I was glad I was able to get it. It's amazing that they keep doing it year after year," said Rahmer. "He definitely left an impact. I looked up to him. He was a very good racer and his family [are] very nice people. It's just cool that they were able to do this and keep it alive."
The scholarship is an act of community support that reflects just how tight-knit the racing community is.
"What they've come around to do here after Kevin's death, the scholarship, the memorials and everything for all the people who are coming up and growing through the racing community, [has] been very big for us all in Central Pennsylvania," said sprint car driver Danny Dietrich.
"They're the meanest competitors in the world on the track, but if that driver next to you needs help, everybody over there helps them get ready to go out on the track," said Donna.
It's an impact in Kevin's name the Gobrecht family hopes to continue making.
"Kevin wouldn't have gotten [as] far as he [did], [without a good education]," said Donna. "If you want to be a successful racecar driver in any class, you need a good education. You need to know how to represent yourself in the world, and that education is important."
The family continues to promote education while carrying on Kevin's legacy for many years to come.
"Kevin was not one who would say, 'Someday, I'm going to do this,' Kevin went out and did it," said Donna. "He had that zest for life and we just want people to remember that [about] him."
The deadline to apply for this year's Kevin Gobrecht Memorial Scholarship is June 10. A total of $7,000 will be distributed. In addition to $3,000 available for race fans, crew members, and drivers, an additional $3,000 in scholarship funds will go to the Conewago Valley School District and $1,000 to Hanover YMCA.
More information on the scholarship and Kevin Gobrecht's story can be found here.
FOX43's full interview with Kevin's mother, Donna Gobrecht can be watched below:
